1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a passive safety device starting apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus for starting a passive safety device when a collision impact of an automotive vehicle is detected.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 4-325349 discloses a proposed apparatus for starting a passive safety device when a collision impact of an automotive vehicle is detected. In the above apparatus, a plurality of acceleration data of the automotive vehicle are sampled by an acceleration sensor. The value of an integral over a given time interval is calculated based on the sampled acceleration data, and the integral value is stored.
In the above apparatus, it is detected whether or not the stored integral value is greater than a reference value. When the integral value is detected to be greater than the reference value, the apparatus generates an activation signal by which the action of a passive safety device in the vehicle is initiated.
However, the apparatus disclosed in the above-mentioned publication has its limitations in that the activation signal may be generated after a time delay as the integral value is updated after the sum of the sampled acceleration values over the given time interval is calculated. If the activation signal is generated after a time delay, starting the action passive safety device is delayed from the occurrence of the actual collision.